New Arizona Law Targets Demand for Prostitution, Strengthens Support for Sex Trafficking Victims

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – A new Arizona law will increase penalties for those who pay, agree to pay, or offer to pay for prostitution while directing new funding to services for victims of sex trafficking.

House Bill 2720, sponsored by State Representative Selina Bliss, passed both chambers with bipartisan support and has been signed into law.

The law makes paying, agreeing to pay, or offering to pay for sexual conduct a felony offense and imposes mandatory jail time. It also requires offenders to pay a $200 assessment, with the money used exclusively to provide services to trafficking victims.

HB 2720 also strengthens protections for victims by requiring courts to seal records related to a prostitution conviction when that conviction is vacated because the person was a victim of sex trafficking. The change helps survivors seek employment, housing, and a fresh start without old court records standing in the way.

“Arizona is going after the demand that fuels prostitution and sex trafficking,” said Representative Bliss, Chairman of the House Health and Human Services Committee. “This is a victory for families, neighborhoods, and victims who deserve a path out. The people paying for sex are funding an industry that traffickers exploit, and communities across Arizona are left to deal with the crime, abuse, and damage that follow. This law holds offenders accountable, puts money directly toward helping victims recover, and puts every person who pays for sex in Arizona on notice: you can face jail time, a felony record, and the consequences that come with it.”

HB 2720 was developed with support from lawmakers, local officials, neighborhood leaders, schools, advocacy groups, and residents who called for stronger action to protect victims and restore safety in their communities.

Selina Bliss is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives, serving Legislative District 1 in Yavapai County, and Chairman of the House Health and Human Services Committee. Follow her on X at @SelinaBliss.